BALTIMORE (CNS)—Social media is not only here to stay but should be
recognized and used as a "new form of pastoral ministry," U.S. bishops
were told Nov. 15 in their annual meeting.

"Social media is proving itself to be a force with which to be reckoned.
If not, the church may be facing as great a challenge as that of the
Protestant Reformation," said Bishop Ronald P. Herzog of Alexandria,
La., a member of the bishops' Committee on Communications, in an address
to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore.

Bishop Herzog noted that although social media has been around for less
than 10 years, it lacks the "makings of a fad" and is "causing as
fundamental a shift in communication patterns and behavior as the
printing press did 500 years ago."

"I don't think I have to remind you of what happened when the Catholic
Church was slow to adapt to that new technology," he told the bishops.
"By the time we decided to seriously promote that common folk should
read the Bible, the Protestant Reformation was well under way."

He delivered the committee report on behalf of its chairman, Auxiliary
Bishop Gabino Zavala of Los Angeles, who was unable to attend the
meeting because he was undergoing back surgery.

Bishop Herzog used Pope Benedict XVI's description of a "digital
continent" to describe the multiple media platforms used today and
likewise compared it to new mission territory.

"We digital immigrants need lessons on the digital culture, just as we
expect missionaries to learn the cultures of the people they are
evangelizing. We have to be enculturated. It's more than just learning
how to create a Facebook account. It's learning how to think, live and
embrace life" in forms of blogs, Twitter feeds and online social
networking."

For starters, he said the church must be a voice in this frontier
especially when "anyone can create a blog (and) everyone's opinion is
valid."

He said once a question or contradiction is posted in a blog, Twitter
feed or Facebook status, viewers "expect a response and something
resembling a conversation."

"We can choose not to enter into that cultural mindset, but we do so at
great peril to the church's credibility and approachability," he said.

The bishop said young people in particular often use social media as
their first point of reference in obtaining everything from news of the
world to updates on their friends.
"The implications of that for a church which is struggling to get those
same young people to enter our churches on Sunday are staggering," he
said. Or put another way: "If the church is not on their mobile device,
it doesn't exist."

The bishop also noted that even with staggering numbers of those who use new media, the church should not abandon what he termed "legacy
communication outlets," stressing that many people still rely on
newspapers, radio, television and books for information.

He said the best way for the church to effectively use new communication
tools is through direction and support from the bishops and training of
diocesan and parish staff members.

Bishop Herzog cited a recent survey of diocesan communications personnel
conducted by the USCCB which indicated that diocesan officials want to
learn more about how to best use new media to spread the church's
message and also requested more staffing and resources to do this
effectively.

He said the survey revealed that many dioceses are beginning to use
social media, but they are not all "devoting the time or expertise that
it deserves."

He urged his fellow bishops to provide more support and direction in this area.

"If as bishops you acknowledge that social media is not the latest fad,
but a paradigm shift," he said, "please accept the fact that your staffs—and perhaps you as well—will need training and direction."